Protect Yourself from Check Fraud
Nov 04 2026
Nov 04 2026
Protect Yourself From Wire Fraud
Wire fraud happens when scammers trick victims into sending money to unfamiliar accounts. They may impersonate trusted personal or professional contacts through emails, calls or texts. Once a wire is sent, recovery can be difficult.
How the Scam works
- The Setup: A scammer poses as a trusted family member, business, bank, employer, or government agency.
- The Request: The scammer asks the victim to wire money for a payment, purchase, closing, or emergency.
- The Pressure: The victim is told to act quickly, skip normal procedures, or keep it a secret.
- The Loss: The money is moved and the scammer quickly withdraws it, making recovery difficult.
How to Protect Yourself
- Talk to your banker before sending money to a new contact or account.
- Verify requests or confirm changes to payment procedures by reaching out to your usual contact at a phone number you know to be legitimate.
- Be wary of urgency, secrecy and shortcuts.
- For businesses, consider requiring a second person within your organization to review and approve wire requests.
- Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
If you believe you may have fallen victim to a scam, contact your local branch or our Customer Care Center at 888-816-8064 immediately.
